Dean Jones says Haddin not Clarke should lead Aussies in Sydney Test

SYDNEY - Former Australian batsman Dean Jones has said that wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and not vice-captain Michael Clarke should lead Australia in the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney.

Ricky Ponting has been ruled out of the match after x-rays on his broken little finger showed that the fracture had moved during this week’s fourth Test loss at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Jones reckons that Clarke is in such poor form that he could not be appointed captain, and all-rounder Shane Watson was too pre-occupied with his own preparation to add more responsibility.

“I don’t think Clarke is ready, he is not in good form. We have always picked the best team then picked the captain from that, and that is how it should be done. Let’s not pick the captain first and blokes around them,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Jones, as saying.

“Shane Watson is too wound up in his own preparation being an all-rounder to take on captaincy as well. I would give it to Haddin for the short term for this one-off Test - that has happened before,” he added.

Haddin has captained New South Wales and also led Australia in two Twenty20 matches.

Clarke has scored just 148 runs in the ongoing series at an average of 21.14 - a far cry from last year’s Ashes where he was Australia’s leading scorer with 448 at an average of 64.

Australia currently trails the five-match series 2-1, with the final Test to be played in Sydney from January 2. (ANI)